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The Man Who Walked Backward
- An American Dreamer's Search for Meaning in the Great Depression
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
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Publisher's summary
From Pulitzer Prize finalist Ben Montgomery, the story of a Texas man who, during the Great Depression, walked around the world - backward.
Like most Americans at the time, Plennie Wingo was hit hard by the effects of the Great Depression. When the bank foreclosed on his small restaurant in Abilene, he found himself suddenly penniless with nowhere left to turn. After months of struggling to feed his family on wages he earned digging ditches in the Texas sun, Plennie decided it was time to do something extraordinary - something to resurrect the spirit of adventure and optimism he felt he'd lost. He decided to walk around the world - backward.
In The Man Who Walked Backward, Pulitzer Prize-finalist Ben Montgomery charts Plennie's backward trek across the America that gave rise to Woody Guthrie, John Steinbeck, and the New Deal. With the Dust Bowl and Great Depression as a backdrop, Montgomery follows Plennie across the Atlantic through Germany, Turkey, and beyond, detailing the daring physical feats, grueling hardships, comical misadventures, and hostile foreign police he encountered along the way.
A remarkable and quirky slice of Americana, The Man Who Walked Backward paints a rich and vibrant portrait of a jaw-dropping period of history.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Critic reviews
"From Rip Van Winkle to Forrest Gump, Americans have fallen in love with quirky individualists who find their true worth by lighting out into the territory. They were fictional. Plennie Wingo, the man who decided to walk across the globe backward, was real. Wingo turned his back on the Great Depression, an adventure brought to life by the vivid narration of Ben Montgomery, a writer so talented I could read him walking backward." (Roy Peter Clark, author of Writing Tools)
"Ben Montgomery is a joy and a wonder, a writer I would happily follow halfway around the world - backward. In fact, I just did, in the compelling company of Plennie L. Wingo, the retrograde ambulator of Abilene, Texas. What a book!" (David Von Drehl, author of Triangle: The Fire That Changed America and Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year)
"In The Man Who Walked Backward, Ben Montgomery lovingly assembles a mosaic of the United States and the world between the wars, told through the life of a small-town Texan who refused to accept his miserable lot during the Depression. Montgomery's vivid storytelling resurrects the strange and wonderful Plennie Wingo, a new American Everyman." (Andrea Pitzer, author of One Long Night)
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Story
J. G. Boswell was the biggest farmer in America. He built a secret empire while thumbing his nose at nature, politicians, labor unions, and every journalist who ever tried to lift the veil on the ultimate "factory in the fields". The King of California is the previously untold account of how a Georgia slave-owning family migrated to California in the early 1920s, drained one of America 's biggest lakes in an act of incredible hubris and carved out the richest cotton empire in the world.
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Interesting story of California Ag history
- By Jean on 08-11-14
By: Mark Arax, and others
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The Devil in the White City
- Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- By: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds.
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A Rich Read!
- By D on 09-18-03
By: Erik Larson
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Train
- Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World - from the Trans-Siberian to the Southwest Chief
- By: Tom Zoellner
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Tom Zoellner loves trains with a ferocious passion. In his new audiobook he chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of the railway technology that changed the world, and could very well change it again. From the frigid Trans-Siberian Railroad to the antiquated Indian Railways to the futuristic maglev trains, Zoellner offers a stirring story of man's relationship with trains. Zoellner examines both the mechanics of the rails and their engines and how they helped societies evolve. Not only do trains transport people and goods in an efficient manner, but they also reduce pollution and dependency upon oil.
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The world history of trains up to the present
- By matthew on 03-06-14
By: Tom Zoellner
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Travels in Siberia
- By: Ian Frazier
- Narrated by: Ian Frazier
- Length: 20 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Ian Frazier trains his eye for unforgettable detail on Siberia, that vast expanse of Asiatic Russia. He explores many aspects of this storied, often grim region. He writes about the geography, the resources, the native peoples, the history, the 40-below midwinter afternoons, the bugs. The book brims with Mongols, half-crazed Orthodox archpriests, fur seekers, ambassadors of the czar bound for Peking, tea caravans, German scientists, American prospectors, intrepid English nurses, and prisoners and exiles of every kind....
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I Loved This Book
- By Sara on 01-05-14
By: Ian Frazier
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The Broken Road
- By: Richard Paul Evans
- Narrated by: Richard Paul Evans
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Celebrity Charles James can't shake the nightmare that wakes him each night. He sees himself walking down a long, broken highway, the sides of which are lit in flames. Where is he going? Why is he walking? What is the wailing he hears around him? By day he wonders why he's so haunted and unhappy when he has all he ever wanted - fame, fans, and fortune and the lavish lifestyle it affords him. Coming from a childhood of poverty and pain, this is what he's dreamed of. But now, at the pinnacle of his career, he's started to wonder if he's wanted the wrong things.
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Unresolved.
- By Ann Owen on 05-14-17
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Jack London
- An American Life
- By: Earle Labor
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Jack London was born a working class, fatherless Californian in 1876. In his youth, he was a boundlessly energetic adventurer on the bustling West Coast - an oyster pirate, a hobo, a sailor, and a prospector by turns. He spent his brief life rapidly accumulating the experiences that would inform his acclaimed best-selling books The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and The Sea-Wolf.
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Glad I chose this
- By SherryH on 04-14-19
By: Earle Labor
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Strange Stones
- By: Peter Hessler
- Narrated by: George Backman
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Full of unforgettable figures and an unrelenting spirit of adventure, Strange Stones is a far-ranging, thought-provoking collection of Peter Hessler’s best reportage - a dazzling display of the powerful storytelling, shrewd cultural insight, and warm sense of humor that are the trademarks of his work. Over the last decade, as a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of three books, Peter Hessler has lived in Asia and the United States, writing as both native and knowledgeable outsider in these two very different regions.
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funny, entertaining
- By Katherine on 08-02-13
By: Peter Hessler
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The Murder of Sonny Liston
- Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights
- By: Shaun Assael
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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On January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston was found dead in his home - of an apparent heroin overdose. But no one close to Liston believed that his death was accidental. Digging deep into a life that Liston tried hard to hide, Shaun Assael treats the boxer's death as a cold case. The result is a riveting whodunit that evokes a glorious and grimy era of Las Vegas.
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Great read
- By Diane Dodge on 09-14-19
By: Shaun Assael
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Country Driving
- A Journey Through China from Farm to Factory
- By: Peter Hessler
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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In the summer of 2001, Peter Hessler, the longtime Beijing correspondent for The New Yorker, acquired his Chinese driver's license. For the next seven years, he traveled the country, tracking how the automobile and improved roads were transforming China.
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Pass the white rice please
- By Nick on 02-18-10
By: Peter Hessler
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Grandma Gatewood's Walk
- The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail
- By: Ben Montgomery
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Emma Gatewood told her family she was going on a walk and left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than $200. The next anybody heard from her, this genteel, farm-reared, 67-year-old great-grandmother had walked 800 miles along the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail. And in September 1955, atop Maine's Mount Katahdin, she sang the first verse of "America, the Beautiful" and proclaimed, "I said I'll do it, and I've done it."
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Inspiring story about a strong amazing woman
- By David Shear on 12-22-14
By: Ben Montgomery
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A Bright and Guilty Place
- Murder, Corruption, and L.A.'s Scandalous Coming of Age
- By: Richard Rayner
- Narrated by: Brett Barry
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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In A Bright and Guilty Place, an exhilarating tale of murder in L.A., Richard Rayner finds the source of the city's darkness in real-life events that unfolded in the 1920s, when the booming early years of L.A. started to shade into the Depression, and the city of sunshine revealed the hidden darkness and corruption at its heart.
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Didn't hold my interest
- By Hopesurvives on 11-03-17
By: Richard Rayner
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On the Road: The Original Scroll
- By: Jack Kerouac
- Narrated by: John Ventimiglia
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Though Jack Kerouac began thinking about the novel that was to become On the Road as early as 1947, it was not until three weeks in April 1951, in an apartment on West 20th Street in Manhattan, that he wrote the first full draft that was satisfactory to him.
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A Classic Brought to Life
- By Sil A. on 11-25-16
By: Jack Kerouac
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Street of Eternal Happiness
- Big City Dreams Along a Shanghai Road
- By: Rob Schmitz
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Modern Shanghai: a global city in the midst of a renaissance, where dreamers arrive each day to partake in a mad torrent of capital, ideas, and opportunity. Marketplace's Rob Schmitz is one of them. He immerses himself in his neighborhood, forging deep relationships with ordinary people who see in the city's sleek skyline a brighter future, and a chance to rewrite their destinies.
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Deserving of better audio
- By Rachael on 02-19-18
By: Rob Schmitz
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Get Capone
- The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster
- By: Jonathan Eig
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 17 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Acclaimed journalist and bestselling author Jonathan Eig blows the lid off the Al Capone story. Based on never-before-seen government documents and newly discovered letters written by Al Capone himself, Get Capone presents America's greatest gangster as you’ve never seen him before.
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Get this book
- By Jonathan on 05-13-10
By: Jonathan Eig
What listeners say about The Man Who Walked Backward
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Krista Brooks
- 09-27-18
Thoroughly enjoyable story! BIG recommend!
I happened on this book on September 18th, the day it was released. Browsing through Audible it popped out at me and I listened to the sample.
The narrator's voice is FANTASTIC (take a listen to the sample audio and you'll see what I mean) and the story sounded so interesting that I decided to go for it. I love true stories and learning about history so this book was right up my alley.
In addition to Plennie's great adventure, I learned sooo much about the Great Depression... WOWZA... I never realized the scope of just how bad it was back them. Damnnnnn. But Plennie, (talk about "hustle", that should have been his middle name) was determined to do something about his predicament. His mantra was "Don't worry. DO something." I love that. I'm inspired by how creative he was and the lengths he was willing to go to to "make good".
It's a thoroughly enjoyable (and TRUE) story and I highly recommend it!
A side note: When I was about a third of the way through listening I got on Google to look for more pictures of Plennie (I hadn't realized there was a pdf that comes with the Audible version) and what I found was an article from a paper in Tampa, Florida saying that there was a book release party on Saturday, September 22nd, preceded by a "Backwards Walking Pub Crawl" in Tampa...
Wait a minute...!
I was reading this post on the MORNING of the 22nd and I live only a half hour away from Tampa! The article said that folks would be dressing in Depression Era style clothing and walking backwards to several pubs in before landing at a local bookstore for the book launch party. How fun!! I scooted up to my favorite thrift store and found a dress that fit the bill.
I'm so glad I went. I met the author, Ben Montgomery, plus his kids, his girlfriend, his mom and dad, (they were all dressed in spot-on Depression era attire!) and a bunch of other folks, too! We all walked backwards, pub to pub, and it was a lot of fun. Ben is a bit of a local celebrity in these parts but I'd not heard of him because I only moved to St. Pete recently.
I'll DEFINITELY be checking out Ben's other books plus anything else that this narrator has recorded.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jeannie L. Cass
- 11-05-19
The Man who Walked Backward
To be honest I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this book but I needed a break from the apocalyptic books I’ve been reading. I loved it and wish it had a sequel ! I think almost anyone would enjoy it.
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- digger
- 04-04-22
Great Author but subject weak
I bought this based on the story the Author wrote on Gramma Gatewood. Well written, but Plennie Wingo was a uninspiring dipstick. His pursuit was silly, a misguided scam that never panned out. Gatewood found another life on trail, a life she deserved all along. Plennie got what he deserved as well. Nothing.
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- M King
- 07-10-24
Amazing Story!
In the 70’s, as a child, I was introduced to Mr. Wingo by my father. Our family was having dinner in a restaurant in Wichita Falls, Texas. Mr. Wingo was working in the restaurant and came to our table. My father was acquainted with Me. Wingo and introduced me to him. I remember something about his backward walking on his name tag and I faintly remember him pulling out his mirrored glasses. I was impressed at the time and bewildered. I was probably 10 or 11- years old at the time. However, I had completely forgotten about Mr. Wingo until I recently heard a reference in another audiobook about a man from North Texas who had walked backwards across the world. It jogged my memory, I did some research, and found this book. I loved the story, the historical background, and the narrator was excellent. I highly recommend it!!!
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- Mary Jane
- 11-19-18
Another unusual character
Ben Montgomery has a knack for finding unusual characters with barely known stories. In this, his third book, we meet Plennie Wingo, a depression era Texan, who decided to walk around the world backward. When his business of running a restaurant slowly lost steam and the space was reclaimed by the bank, Plennie decided to do something no one before had accomplished. Selling postcards to pay his way, he left Abilene, TX, on an adventure the likes of which seem improbable, but are truly remarkable.
Along the way, Ben Montgomery gives us a history lesson on the Great Depression and the Western World between wars. This alone, aside from the unusual journey of his real life character, is worth the read. Once again, Montgomery has given us an eye view into an era as never before provided. A delightful story of a time fewer and fewer people experienced, but today can allow the reader to draw some parallels, to our own time. This is a book to add to your shelf, or your Audible queue.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-30-20
I finished thinking "Who Cares"
No deep meaning to this one. Literally the story of a man who walked backwards. He has some adventures. The adventures are not that exciting. That's it.
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- Barry A Arvold
- 07-18-21
Loved it!
Read Grandma Gatewood first.Thiss one was also a very interesting story, ingaging characters, wonderful historic insights!
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- Mikey Fazed
- 08-26-21
Delightfully Old-Timey, Insightful view into the Great Depression
“I’m only human; same as you.”
I heard about Plennie Wingo on The Dollop podcast, which makes fun of odd historical events, and got this audiobook. The writing is impactful and memorable without being challenging or pretentious. The narrator has a slight southern drawl which is perfect for our story about an out of the box thinking Texan.
I have to be honest, this book gave me a more meaningful look at a regular persons view of the Depression than the Grapes of Wrath. It’s easy to dismiss the publicity stunt craze of this time as a passing fad, but this book made me realize how some people had no other option to make a living.
I first thought of Plennie’s stunt as a failure, but then I realized that he accomplished a world record purely on grit and good manners. People still know his name 90 years later. Shine on, my man.
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